Not Applicable.
Not Applicable.
The present invention relates generally to a ticket vending machine for dispensing tickets, and more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to an apparatus and method for vending and dispensing tickets from a strip of tickets having perforated joints.
Consumer demand for tickets, such as lottery tickets, has risen dramatically in recent years. This demand has been met with a variety new and exciting games involving lottery tickets. The new breed of lottery ticket games has placed additional demands on the machines that dispense these lottery tickets since the new lottery tickets come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes.
The tremendous demand has produced lower quality lottery tickets causing tickets to be printed out of registration, perforations to be non-uniform or not completely punctured, and a variety of other printing imperfections and errors. Access to lottery tickets at a variety of convenient locations such as grocery stores, convenience stores, and other locations frequented by consumers has attempted to satisfy this demand. New machines for dispensing the new lottery tickets must be more flexible and intuitive than their predecessors.
These new machines, however, have failed dramatically in addressing these demands since the ticket machines must be capable of instant ticket vending by the consumer. Also, modern ticket dispensing machines are inadequate for handling mass-produced lottery tickets that are printed out of registration or have other imperfections. For this reason, modern ticket vending machines inevitably rip or tear tickets, or begin cutting the tickets at a predetermined length assuming the tickets are printed correctly which leads to tickets being cut improperly or in half which voids or ruins the tickets and aggravates the consumers and the vendors.
For this reason, a new and improved ticketing vending machine operable for dispensing tickets from a strip of tickets which overcomes these disadvantages is needed.
In one aspect, the present invention is directed to a ticket machine for dispensing tickets from a strip of tickets having perforated joints. The ticket machine includes a roller assembly, a detection mechanism and a bursting blade. The roller assembly is adapted to communicate a portion of the strip of tickets along a ticket path. The detection mechanism is disposed adjacent the ticket path and adapted to determine the position of at least a leading ticket of the strip of tickets along the ticket path. The bursting blade is adjacent the ticket path adapted to floatably strike the strip of tickets adjacent the perforated joints to separate at least the leading ticket from the strip of tickets.
In another aspect, the present invention provides a ticket dispenser for dispensing tickets from a strip of tickets connected along perforated joints. The ticket dispenser has a first and second stage rollers, a bursting blade and a positioning mechanism. The first stage rollers have a set of pinch rollers adapted to communicate the strip of tickets along a ticket path. The second stage rollers having a set of pinch rollers positioned along the ticket path and adapted to receive at least a first ticket of the strip of tickets communicated from the first stage rollers.
The bursting blade positioned adjacent the ticket path and adapted to strike the strip of tickets adjacent the perforated joints to break the perforated joints connecting at least the first ticket to the strip of tickets. The positioning mechanism is adapted to determine the position of the strip of tickets along the ticket path. The positioning mechanism is further adapted to communicate with the first and second stage rollers for positioning a perforated joint of the strip of tickets adjacent the bursting blade for separating at least the first ticket from the strip of tickets.
In yet another aspect, the present invention provides an instant ticket vending machine for dispensing tickets. The instant ticket vending machine includes a housing, a plurality of bins and a hopper. The housing is substantially rigid and has a door connected thereto the housing for providing access to an inner housing area of the housing. The housing is provided with an opening for retrieving dispensed tickets.
The plurality of bins are retained within the inner housing area of the housing and are adapted to dispense tickets from a strip of tickets connected by perforated joints. Each of the bins are provided with a first and second stage rollers, an optical sensor, an encoder and a bursting blade. The first stage rollers have at least a first shaft and a set of pinch rollers. The first stage rollers are adapted to communicate the strip of tickets along a ticket path.
The second stage rollers have a set of pinch rollers and is positioned along the ticket path. The second stage rollers are adapted to receive at least a first ticket of the strip of tickets communicated from the first stage rollers. The optical sensor is disposed adjacent the ticket path and adapted to sense the leading edge of at least the first ticket of the strip of tickets. The encoder is adapted to sense the rotation of the first shaft of the first stage rollers thereby determining a length of travel along the ticket path of at least the first ticket of the strip of tickets.
The bursting blade is disposed adjacent the ticket path and operable to float about a direction of travel of the strip of tickets along the ticket path. The bursting blade is adapted to floatably strike the strip of tickets adjacent the perforated joints to break the perforated joint connecting at least the leading ticket from the strip of tickets. The hopper is in communication with the opening in the housing and the plurality of bins such that the hopper is operative to receive tickets dispensed from the bins.
In one embodiment, the present invention provides a method for separating tickets from a strip of tickets connected along perforated joints. The method includes advancing the strip of tickets along a ticket path to an optical sensor and detecting, via the optical sensor, a leading edge of a first ticket of the strip of tickets. The method further provides for striking the strip of tickets along the ticket path near the perforated joint connecting the first ticket to the strip of tickets to breakingly separate the first ticket from the strip of tickets.
In another embodiment, the present invention provides a method for separating tickets from a strip of tickets connected along perforated joints. The method includes advancing the strip of tickets along a ticket path and detecting the leading edge of at least the first ticket of the strip of tickets. The method includes determining a ticket size of at least the first ticket of the strip of tickets and providing a tensioning mechanism operative to tension at least a portion of the ticket path at a perforated joint connecting at least the first ticket to the strip of tickets.
The method further includes providing a bursting blade adapted to float relative to a direction of travel of the strip of tickets along the path and positioning the strip of tickets relative to the bursting blade for separation. The method also provides for striking, via the bursting blade, the strip of tickets adjacent the tensioned portion of the ticket path adjacent the perforated joint connecting at least the first ticket to the strip of tickets to separate the first ticket from the strip of tickets.
Other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and appended claims.